Is a Moissanite Or Diamond Right For You?
Moissanite engagement rings offer a stunning alternative to traditional diamond rings. With exceptional sparkle and clarity, moissanite is an eco-friendly and affordable option for couples who want the look of a diamond without the cost.
Shop Moissanite Engagement Rings
Estimated read time:
8 minutesIf you’ve been shopping lately for a diamond engagement ring, anniversary ring or special fine jewelry gift, you may have read about moissanite as a popular option. Moissanite is a naturally occurring silicon carbide and its various crystalline polymorphs. It is a rare mineral, discovered by the French chemist Henri Moissan in 1893.
Natural moissanite is incredibly rare, so today’s moissanite is created in a laboratory setting. Ben Garelick Jewelers is proud to be one of only a few jewelers in the country to offer the option to substitute the center stone in any of the thousands of engagement ring designs with a moissanite stone. This gives our brides-to-be the chance to wear the ring of her dreams from any of our world-renowned designers with any size, cut, and type of gemstone. Still, many of our customers choose to purchase a genuine, sparkling diamond for their ring.
In this article...
How Do You Know If Moissanite Is Right For You?
Purchasing an engagement ring is a very big decision. Many factors need to be weighed. With so many choices, how do you choose the best style? What design attracts your attention? Is her personality more romantic vintage-style or modern day contemporary? What is your budget? How do you know if you should stick with the classic diamond or go with another gemstone like moissanite? To help you sort out your options, we’ve created a breakdown concisely showing you the primary differences and similarities between diamonds and moissanite gemstones.
|
Qualities |
Diamond |
Moissanite |
|
Durability [On Moh’s Hardness Scale, the higher the number the harder the stone.] |
10 (the hardest gemstones |
9.25-9.5 (besides diamond, harder than all other gemstones) |
|
Brilliance/Sparkle [On the Refractive Index (BRI), the higher the number, the more brilliant.] |
2.42 (diamonds have a beautiful |
2.65-2.69 (more brilliant than diamond or any other popular gemstone; gives off more of a rainbow sparkle, which some think easily reveals that the stone is not a diamond) |
|
Cut [are there any restrictions to the type of shape it can be cut in - round, princess, oval, marquise, etc.) |
Can be cut in any shape |
Can be cut in any shape |
|
Clarity [One of the “4Cs” of diamond grading quality, the assessment of small imperfections on the surface and internally. The surface flaws are called blemishes, and internal defects are known as inclusions.] |
Ranges from flawed to completely flawless |
Ranges from flawed to almost flawless (similar to that of a VS diamond clarity grading, invisible to the unaided eye) |
|
Color [Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades diamond color on a scale of D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown).] |
Near colorless to completely colorless |
Near colorless to completely colorless |
|
Cost [Approximate average cost for a 1 carat stone.] |
$5000-$6000 |
$400-$600 (generally, one-tenth the cost of a diamond) |
|
Fire [Its measure of dispersion, the prism effect when pure white light enters a non-opaque object, breaks into spectral (rainbow) colors, and reflects back to the viewer.] |
.0433 |
0.104 (exceeds any gemstone including diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald)
|
|
Trade-Up [Ben Garelick’s policy that allows you to trade any gemstone and trade up to a larger size at any time.] |
Yes! |
Yes! |
|
Source [Where do these gemstones come from?] |
Made of crystallized carbon and naturally found from within the Earth's surface. Ben Garelick only offers ethically sourced, conflict-free diamonds. From rough to polished, we take care to ensure responsible business practices, to support the advancement of women and to protect the natural world. |
Although it contains a similar carbon footprint, moissanite is grown in a controlled lab environment, eliminating the worry of unfair labor practices and warfare. |
|
Long-term Value |
Considered valuable and can be handed down as an heirloom without any loss in value over the years. |
Value is mostly sentimental.
|
Bottom Line - Can You Tell The Difference Between Diamond and Moissanite?
Hopefully, comparing some of the most important attributes has helped you decide of purchasing a moissanite gemstone instead of a diamond as the center cut stone in your engagement ring is right for you. Most people can’t tell the difference between moissanite and a diamond unless they are looking at them side-by-side and note that the moissanite has more of a rainbow sparkle or a slightly different color in different lighting.
Featured Affordable Moissanite Engagement Rings
- Regular price
- £4,096.00
- Sale price
- £4,096.00
- ar price
-
- price
- per
- Regular price
- £5,897.00
- Sale price
- £5,897.00
- ar price
-
- price
- per
- Regular price
- £5,946.00
- Sale price
- £5,946.00
- ar price
-
- price
- per
- Regular price
- £1,854.00
- Sale price
- £1,854.00
- ar price
-
- price
- per
- Regular price
- £2,067.00
- Sale price
- £2,067.00
- ar price
-
- price
- per
- Regular price
- £6,453.00
- Sale price
- £6,453.00
- ar price
-
- price
- per
- Regular price
- £1,348.00
- Sale price
- £1,348.00
- ar price
-
- price
- per
- Regular price
- £3,218.00
- Sale price
- £3,218.00
- ar price
-
- price
- per
The bottom line is that moissanite is a fine gemstone in its own right, and shouldn’t be considered a “cheap” substitute for diamonds. It is almost as hard, just as clear, has few defects and has more sparkle. It is a beautiful, brilliant gemstone that will withstand a lifetime of everyday wear.
Choose Diamond Or Moissanite At Ben Garelick Jewelers
Whether moissanite is good enough for your engagement ring is going to be a personal decision. If your girl loves the amazing sparkle of the moissanite, you’re able to save a ton on your engagement ring and put that savings to use on either a larger stone, your honeymoon or whatever other pressing newlywed expense you may have. If having a genuine keepsake diamond is important to you, then choose the cut and size you like.
At Ben Garelick, we can help you finance either stone in your beautiful engagement ring with no interest and our “buy now, pay later” plan. Give us a call today at (716) 631-1584 or text us at (716) 574-0966 and we’ll help you walk through the ins and outs of choosing the gemstone for your engagement ring. We look forward to helping you find the perfect ring for your forever partner.
More Like This
